Brexit fishermen angry with weak Tory manifesto pledge

Hints of only a 12 mile exclusive fishing zone rather than 200.

There has been outrage from the pro-Brexit Fishing For Leave at the Conservative Party’s weak approach on fisheries in their manifesto.

FFL have pointed out that one of the “acid tests” of the UK’s EU withdrawal was taking back control to control of all UK waters and resources within an Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) out to 200 miles or the mid-line under international law.

They say that the Conservative manifesto is worrying as it pledges only that the UK “will be fully responsible for the access and management of the waters where we have historically exercised sovereign control”.

The UK has historically only ever been able to exercise control over a 12 mile fishing radius as the 200 mile extension only came into effect when Britain was already in the EU and bound by their fisheries policy.

Nigel Farage, speaking to Westmonster, has said: “Fishing For Leave are 100% right here. It makes me wonder what Dan Hannan is talking about in today’s Daily Telegraph. 12 miles might be good enough for the Tories but that is categorically not what the British people voted for”.

Small print on such issues really matters. An exclusive 12 mile zone would simply not be good enough.

British fishermen have been betrayed so many times before. If we want a booming, revived fishing industry then it will take a government ready to battle for Britain rather than sell out at the first opportunity.